Farrow and Ball Shaded White on the top units. Farrow and Ball Pigeon on the bottom units

And while I'm at it, these images, glorious though they are, perfectly demonstrate what I often tell my clients: that choosing a paint on the back of loving only one image is a sure-fire road to disappointment.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White on the tongue and groove wall, whilst the door is painting in Farrow and Ball Pigeon

Look how much the colours vary in each space!

Farrow and Ball Shaded White on the main units. Farrow and Ball Pigeon on the island and larder cupboard

Each kitchen features the same Modern Country kitchen colour scheme but the lighting, room orientation and, most likely, post-production tweaking mean that at times they look very different.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White left hand side of the kitchen. Farrow and Ball Pigeon right side of the kitchen.

By looking at all these images together, one question remains: could Farrow and Ball Pigeon and Farrow and Ball Shaded White, with their softly-softly grey-green leanings, create the perfect Modern Country kitchen colour scheme?

Friday, 16 January 2015

Here it is...the Farrow and Ball Shaded White home tour from Kate's Creative Space blog that I've been longing to share with you for quite some time, and have been looking for the perfect moment to do so. And here we are. That perfect moment is here! Lots of Before and After shots to drool over. And full details of the Farrow and Ball paint colours (and occasionally Fired Earth) will all come your way.

Let's kick off in his lovely kitchen/dining room...

Who'd have thought that this stunning kitchen, with walls in Farrow and Ball Shaded White, and units in Paint and Paper Library Stone II and III, had started off like this...

It was obviously a gorgeous period home...

...but still had so much more to give!

The kitchen itself is by Martin Moore.

The flooring is 'Artisan Oak Linen' by Kahrs

The fireplace has been added in, and is from Chesneys.

At the other end of the room is gorgeous BTC pendant light hanging over the dining table from John Lewis. And to one side is this off-white Chesterfield sofa from Marks and Spencer...

Moving on out into the large hallway now, also painted Farrow and Ball Shaded White. Isn't it beautiful. Can you hear the angels strumming their harps?! The long console table is from OKA.

Here is the Before picture. I love the new wood pile, replacing that little alcove in the chimney breast.

I'm not always a fan of faux foliage but this faux olive tree in the hallway shows it can really work....

The stone floor is also from Martin Moore, who supplied the kitchen.

Next up is their son's little playroom nook....

...and then through to the snug.

The walls are painted in Farrow and Ball Manor Gray. The tripod lamp was from Marks and Spencer's, as were the white Chesterfield sofas. The console table, just visible below is an often-painted Malm from Ikea!

The Before and After pictures are incredible...though it's obvious from the Before pictures that the house has very good bones in place....just a little tweaking necessary!

The new panelling from Easipanel is in Farrow and Ball White Tie. I love this combination. The fireplace was replaced by this classic from Chesneys...

We're given a glimpse of the Master Bedroom, painted in Fired Earth Flake Grey, a chalky, creamy grey paint.

The wallpaper on the chimney breast is Scrapwood by Piet Vein Eek. Awesome name. Awesome wallpaper.

The fox print wallpaper in their son's bedroom is Scion (who also supplied the rug in Zoella's apartment!).

The bathroom was always going to be a winner....it's on the very large side! They reused the Upton console table from OKA to hold the basins.

Painted in Fired Earth Flake Grey, it has a feel of calmness and serenity.

Much better that the Before, don't you think?

You can't go wrong in a bathroom that has room for a chair...(similar from Swoon)

...and the world's largest airing cupboard!

The peg rail in the guest bedroom adds a touch of Shaker simplicity, along with the panelling in Farrow and Ball Cornforth White. The walls above are in Farrow and Ball Wimbourne White, one of my current favourites.

I think it's this room that reveals the biggest change. The Before shows a room that is rather dingy and unappealing...

....but the After? Gorgeous! With the Kahrs engineered oak flooring back and the old bed given a lick of Annie Sloan's Paris Grey paint, it's an absolute triumph.

Heading outside, even this little playhouse is utterly gorgeous....

...inside and out!

Yes, this home (from Kate's Creative Space) is one of my all-time Modern Country Style favourites! Gold star!!

Monday, 12 January 2015

Hello lovelies! Shall we dive right in to another Paint Colour Case Study? Let's shine our beady focus today on Farrow and Ball's Shaded White, a chameleon of a colour if ever their was one.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White kitchen

If you're new to Modern Country Style (and, hello there!), then let me take a moment to explain to you the pleasure that awaits. From time to time, when I've worked with a particularly scrumptious colour, for example, today's Farrow and Ball Shaded White, I like to share share share. When you've finished here, feel free to browse at your leisure:

But I don't think it's enough to just name drop, do you? It's so easy to pile up the pounds on sample pots...soooooo I do all the behind-the-scenes hard work for you, putting together lots of images of the colour in question in different contexts and at different times of day. No nasty surprises here at Modern Country Style, my friend.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White on cupboard doors

Farrow and Ball describe Shaded White as 'Just darker than Off-White and lighter than Old White. This can be used as a light 'drab' colour.' If ever there was an undersell, ladies and gentlemen, that was it!

Farrow and Ball Shaded White in hall

If you've not experienced the joys of Farrow and Ball Old White or Off-White then how are you meant to be any the wiser? Duh!

Farrow and Ball Shaded White on tongue and groove bathroom

Farrow and Ball Shaded White paint can take on an astonishing range of hues, from the chalkiest white, to the dreamiest green-grey, to plain old boring beige. The question is how do you know if it'll play out well in your own home? Read on, dear reader, read on.....

Farrow and Ball Shaded White bedroom

The first thing to consider is what kind of light your room receives. If it's a lovely, warm room with sunshine pouring in all day, then you can expect Shaded White to reveal a little more of its beige-y side: a definite warm neutral with a green undertone, particularly if teamed with green elsewhere in the room....

If, however, your room is on the North side of your home, and gets little sunlight, then Shaded White's grey notes will be your new best friend.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White

The next thing on your checklist is the light levels in the room. Some large-windowed North-facing rooms actually receive a good deal of light, albeit of a rather cool quality.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White

The brighter the space, the paler Farrow and Ball Shaded White appears. This ranges from a literal gently shaded white...

Cupboards in Farrow and Ball Shaded White

...to, in small, darker spaces, a mid-toned neutral. See the way the colour builds up in the alcoves of the shelf below?

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted furniture

However, Farrow and Ball's Shaded White is not a colour you need to worry about appearing too dark. Mid-toned is the darkest it will go, even in the shadowy corners....

Farrow and Ball Shaded White bedroom

The final checkpoint to think about is the kind of artificial light you use in the space, particularly if it will have most of its use in the evening, when the lights will most certainly be on.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White hall

Again, the soothing glow of incandescent bulbs will give a warmer, beige-y hue to Shaded White, whereas Halogen light, or even LEDs will give a cooler, greyer feel.

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted furniture

Do make sure you pay close attention to this point to avoid any disappointment. Just look below at the two shots of this gorgeous kitchen painted in Farrow and Ball French Gray and Farrow and Ball Shaded White. The first is with the lights off, and the second (on the left) is with lights on, creating a very different look.

Kitchen in Farrow and Ball Shaded White and French Gray

Left: Farrow and Ball Shaded White with lights on

I have two favourite uses for Shaded White which I recommend to my clients. The first is for painting furniture. Whereas in some instances (namely in south-facing rooms with warm, artificial light), Shaded White has the potential to give you beige rage (see skirting board below)....

Farrow and Ball Shaded White skirting boards

...by contrast, on furniture, which softens the colour with all its external angles, Shaded White becomes the most beautiful soft, chalky creamy-gray. I love l LOVE it!

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted furniture

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted furniture

The same goes for painting kitchens. Check out these beauties painted in Farrow and Ball's Shaded White...

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted kitchen

Farrow and Ball Shaded White painted kitchen

This works a treat, as long as there aren't too many cupboards, in which case the usual rules apply....though consider using Shaded White as a feature colour instead, as with this gorgeous kitchen below (units painted in Farrow and Ball Pointing, island unit in Shaded White):

Farrow and Ball Shaded White and Pointing painted kitchen

The second area of my devotion, is using Farrow and Ball Shaded White in those problem North-facing rooms. It will give elegance and classic warmth, with its grayish taupey hues, and gentlest hint of green....

Farrow and Ball Shaded White in North-facing room

Farrow and Ball Shaded White hall

Farrow and Ball Shaded White hallway

Isn't it gorgeous? Have I convinced you to try it?

Next up, I have a real treat for you, if you loved this post. A house featuring a whole host of stunning colours, including a hall and kitchen painted in Farrow and Ball Shaded White!

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